U.S. state · federal alcohol permits
Alcohol permits in Iowa
Every TTB Federal Basic Permit holder in Iowa - wineries, distilleries, importers, and wholesalers, from the public List of Permittees.
- 1,238
- Total permits
- #18
- National rank
- 38.6
- High density · per 100k
- 329
- Cities covered
Count rank ≠ density rank
Iowa holds 1,238 federal alcohol permits (#18 of 52 by count) but ranks #7 at 38.6 per 100,000 residents — count rank and density rank diverge on this state.
- #18
- by total permits
- #7
- by permits per capita
- 1,238
- permits in state
- 38.6/100k
- residents
Source: TTB List of Permittees (August 2026) · Census Vintage-2023 population.
Comparing more than one state? Save Iowa to your Permit Explorer watchlist to keep this state alongside the others you are reviewing. The watchlist stays in your browser and its comparison link preserves the selected states, permit class, and sort order.
Data updated September 2026
Iowa vs all states by federal permit count
Where this state's TTB Basic Permit count sits among every state and territory on PlainAlcohol
1,238 18th of 52 higher than 34 of 52 states
States, banded by federal alcohol Basic Permit count
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source TTB List of Permittees · August 2026
Permit mix
How Iowa's 1,238 permits split across the four classes.
Top cities in Iowa
Bar length = federal alcohol permit holders in the city
- Des Moines
Des Moines, Iowa
68 permits
- Cedar Rapids
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
38 permits
- Davenport
Davenport, Iowa
33 permits
- Iowa City
Iowa City, Iowa
32 permits
- Sioux City
Sioux City, Iowa
31 permits
Iowa alcohol industry score
One composite grade from Iowa's own TTB permit data, benchmarked against every other state and territory PlainAlcohol tracks (not an external industry standard). A state missing an input is graded on the remaining dimensions alone -- the missing weight moves to them rather than deflating the score.
TTB-permitted producers per 100,000 residents
1 minus the Herfindahl index across distillery/winery/importer/wholesaler permit shares -- higher means no single permit type dominates
Distinct cities with a TTB-permitted producer, per 100,000 residents
Source: TTB List of Permittees, August 2026, and U.S. Census Vintage-2023 population. See methodology.
All permit holders (1,238)
Page 25 of 25Data & reports
National TTB statistics →
Citeable national permit totals, class mix, and state rankings from the same TTB extract.
Permit release changes →
What changed between TTB List of Permittees releases: new, closed, and net permit counts.
52-state landscape CSV →
Downloadable state-level permit counts for every jurisdiction in this directory.
Frequently asked questions
How many federal alcohol permits are in Iowa?
Iowa has 1,238 active federal alcohol Basic Permits - 182 wineries, 56 distilleries, 71 importers, and 929 wholesalers. That is the 18th most of any U.S. state or territory.
What is Iowa's per-capita permit rate?
Iowa has 38.6 federal alcohol permits per 100,000 residents (U.S. Census Vintage-2023 population), ranking 7th by density. Per-capita rates are high in wine- and spirits-producing states with smaller populations.
Which Iowa city has the most permit holders?
Des Moines leads Iowa with 68 federal alcohol permit holders, followed by Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Iowa City.
Are breweries included?
No. Breweries do not hold an FAA Basic Permit, they operate under a Brewer's Notice (IRC §6103, protected from disclosure), so they are not in the public TTB List of Permittees this directory is built from.
Where does this data come from?
The TTB FOIA "List of Permittees," published August 2026, public U.S. government data, reformatted without alteration.
Reading Iowa's count-vs-density split
Iowa holds 1,238 federal alcohol permits (#18 of 52 by count) but ranks #7 at 38.6 per 100,000 residents — count rank and density rank diverge on this state. Federal Basic Permits authorize FAA Act activity, not retail sale, and are not a substitute for the state ABC license.
Source: TTB FOIA List of Permittees, published August 2026, public U.S. government data, reformatted without alteration. Per-capita rates use U.S. Census Bureau Vintage-2023 population (Verify with the Census Bureau →). Confirm any record against the official TTB Public Permit Search. For informational purposes only; see our disclaimer.